Archive for category: Nutrition & recipes

My mom’s granola recipe is somewhat legendary. Apart from a few variations, my mom has been making this same granola recipe since I was a little kid. It’s light and delicious for breakfast or as a snack. I use it to make my Vegan Chocolate Protein Balls and even blend it with my Vanilla Protein powder from Arbonne, fruit and nut milk for the Ultimate Breakfast Smoothie.

This granola recipe has never been published before by our family, but it was adopted from a recipe a book my mom cherished called Diet for a Smaller Planet by Frances Moore Lappé. (Published in 1971, the bestselling book is credited to be the first to note the environmental impact of meat production.) I asked my mom if I could share her version of the granola recipe now because it is a staple part of our picnic breakfasts during our annual Morning Yoga by the Lake. In anticipation of the upcoming sunrise retreat in August, I thought this recipe might be well appreciated.

Full disclosure: I have never actually made this granola myself.  My mom, Marta (a retired physical education teacher and now a yoga teacher and guide at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal), makes copious amounts of granola and generously gives large jars of it to my brother and I.  This said, my mom says it is easy to make.

Ingredients

Even our toddler, Koji, likes his Noona’s Granola Recipe!

• ½ – 3/4 cups Sweetener: Agave syrup or Maple syrup
• ½ cups Coconut oil or grapeseed oil – healthy cooking oils with a high smoke point
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. Sea Salt
• ½ cup Sesame seeds – raw
• 1 cup Pumpkin seeds – raw
• 2 cups Coconut slivers – unsweetened
• 7 cups Large rolled oats – could be gluten-free*
• Optional: Cinnamon, Nuts, Raisins, Dried Cranberries and/or other small pieces of dried fruit.

*Oats are by nature gluten-free, but they are often grown with wheat and become cross-pollinated, which means that there could be some gluten compounds (a protein) in conventional oats. For celiac or people highly sensitive to gluten, it is therefore recommended to use certified gluten-free oats.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees;
2. In a large pot on the stove, heat oil, sweetener and vanilla until the mixture is thin;
3. Turn stove off;
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients in the order given. Make sure each ingredient is coated with the sweet mixture (except for the coconut and rolled oats which you will just have to mix in);
5. Put the mix into a large baking dish and place in the middle rack of oven;
6. The cereal will begin to toast in about 15 minutes;
7. Once it has begun to brown, stir it every 10 minutes up to about 20 more minutes;
8. Turn heat off and leave granola in oven to continue toasting with the door slightly open for an additional 45 mins;
9. Check occasionally to ensure it is not scorching;
10. Let cool on the counter.

How to enjoy my mom’s granola – Be creative!

Our picnic breakfasts post Morning Yoga by the Lake practice are really special and often features this granola! Fun to enjoy good, healthy food with people.

• Enjoy with fruit, almond or coconut milk or with your favourite yogurt!
• Add this granola into a trail mix of nuts and dried fruit for a snack
• Blend it into a smoothie (you need a good blender for this)
• Use it to make protein balls – Click here for a recipe!

Related Articles:

• Morning Yoga by the Lake Retreat 2018
• 30 Day Healthy Living Program for Optimum Wellbeing
• Morning Yoga by the Lake Recipes
• Super Smoothie Recipes
• RECIPE: Vegan French Toast

This Chocolate Protein Ball Recipe is a life-saver when you are trying to cut sugar. They are so delicious and have become a favourite at home with my husband and Koji, among friends and also with my students! These Chocolate Protein Balls are also vegan, gluten-free, soy-free with no added sugar! Rich in antioxidants (cocoa) and healthy omega fats,  one of these makes a perfect snack or dessert.

Chocolate Protein Ball Recipe

Koji loves these Chocolate Protein Balls! They were my valentine gift to Koji, Arturo, and my friend Natalie.

Ingredients*

• 2 cups Granola – not sweet – just toasted oats and seeds basically
• 4-5 scoops Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder from Arbonne International
• 1/3 cup Almond butter or tahini
• 1/32 cup Coconut oil 
• 1/4 tsp  Himalayan Rock Salt or Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup Raw Cocoa Nibs
• 2 tbsp + 1/3 cup  Cocoa powder

Directions

1. Prepare a medium-large mixing bowl, a plate, and a small bowl;
2. Add 1/3 cup of cocoa powder to the small bowl. You will use these to dust the protein balls at the end;
3. Using your (clean) hands, mix all the ingredients together (except 1/3 cup of Cocoa Powder) until sticky;
4. Then roll into balls and roll each protein ball with cocoa powder  — This step is essential if you don’t want your protein balls to look like poop!
5. Place the protein balls on a plate and let them harden in the in the fridge;
6. Enjoy these little beauties with hot or iced tea.

*Why these ingredients?

Meet the superfoods!! Crazy high in nutrition and act like powerful multi-vitamins for the body. They are somewhat magical in nature.

Raw chocolate/cocoa

Rich in vitamins and minerals (magnesium, iron, flavonoids, phosphorous and calcium), raw cocoa is also high in antioxidants. So good for us. (Buy only organic and fair trade.  The commercial chocolate industry has one of the worst reputations for using child slavery in the world. In 2014, the International Labour Organization, commissioned by the UN, documented over 2 million children forced to work in inhumane conditions on cocoa farms in West Africa alone. Buying certified fair trade chocolate ensures that the labourers used in the cultivation and production of the chocolate were paid fair wages, worked in decent conditions and were of proper working age.)

Vegan Protein power

Arbonne Essentials Protein Shake is fantastic. It is certified kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO, allergen-free and approved by the Banned Substance Control Bureau (BSCB). Per serving, it features 20 grams of easy to digest protein derived from peas, brown rice, and cranberries. (I know, who knew cranberries were full of protein?!) The Arbonne Protein also supplemented with 20 vitamins and minerals and has 14 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of sugar (less than sugar found in a green apple). I like it because it has a very smooth, creamy texture which is rare in protein powder.

Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is arguably the healthiest fat on the planet and easy to digest. It has anti-inflammatory properties and contains healthy saturated fat that increases the good HDL cholesterol in the body. This is believed to be highly therapeutic for the heart and digestive system. The type of fats contained in coconut oil assimilate much quicker than other fats, so it can be more easily converted into energy and therefore, not really stored as fat. It is also antimicrobial and antifungal, so it can be used to treat Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) of the stomach, candida overgrowth, yeast infections, urinary tract infections as well as gum disease and tooth decay! (Dr. Axe, ND, has a great article on coconut oil on his website. Click here for more)

Good Salt

Himalayan Rock Salt has become very popular lately. It is pink in color and often sold in larger crystal form. Mined in  Punjab region of Pakistan, close to the Himalayas, this salt is considered the cleanest salt in the world and most beneficial because it has the highest mineral compounds. It contains 84 minerals and trace elements, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and iron, all essential nutrients for your nervous system. This trace minerals also support the kidneys, help to regulate water metabolism in the body. You could say that Himalayan Salt is like the whole foods version of regular table salt. Sea salt is good too because it also contains are large range of other minerals beyond sodium. In this recipe, salt is used to enhance the sweet taste and balance the bitter flavour of the raw chocolate.

Related Articles

• RECIPE: Black Bean Veggie Burger
• RECIPE: Vegan French Toast
• Simple plant-based food plan

• 30 Day Healthy Living Program

This delicious, gluten-free, vegan black bean veggie burger recipe was curated by my dear friend Lauren Lobley of Delectable You and is inspired by my Lean Fit & Strong 30 Day Healthy Living Program.  These burgers are perfect vegetarian summer meal and uses Arbonne’s amazing carb-free vegan Daily Protein Boost powder*.

• 1 scoop Arbonne Protein Boost powder*
  

  Arbonne’s amazing carb free Daily Protein Boost = pure vegan, alkaline protein and no carbs. The Boost provides extra protein in this black bean veggie burger recipes and works well in other similar recipes.

• 1/2 cup gluten free oats
• 1/2 a red pepper, small diced
• 1/4 a red onion, small diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – first cold pressed is best!
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed – try to use organic BPA free black beans
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked (or quinoa)

*In this Black Bean Veggie Burger, we are adding Arbonne’s Daily Protein Boost, an amazing vegan protein powder with only three ingredients: pea protein, rice protein, cranberry protein.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375

1. Warm the oilve oil over medium heat. Add the red pepper, onion and garlic and sauté until tender (about 5 minutes).
2. In a food processor, combine powder, oats, spices, sautéed peppers and onions and garlic, and black beans. Pulse until coarse.
3.  Pour into a bowl and fold in the rice. Using a 1/2 cup measure, scoop out the burgers and flatten on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate, and then bake another 15 minutes. Enjoy!

• Instead of regular bread as bun, try cabbage or collard leaves for kapha, gluten-free bread for pitta and grilled portobello mushroom for vata.
• For Kapha sensitivities – this recipe is ok in moderation, but add 2 scoops of protein instead of one and one 1/4 cup oats;
• For Pitta sensitivities – omit chilli pepper and use fresh garlic instead of powdered;
• For Vata sensitivities -omit or reduce chilli pepper and substitute black beans for cooked lentils (soak lentils over night before using); Vata has a hard time digesting beans.
• The Arbonne Daily Protein Boost works well in all veggie burgers, alfredo style sauces and also in smoothies, pancakes and other baked goods because it has a neutral flavour. Note, according to Lauren, this protein powder has a tendency to neutralize sweet and salty taste, so you may need to compensate.

Related

• More Veggie Burger Recipes from Delectable You
• Smoothie Recipes
• 30 Day Healthy Living Program
• Shop for awesome Arbonne Products – as me for recommendations